Beyond Dashboards: Transforming Air Cargo
Radhesh Menon emphasizes that digital transformation in air cargo must focus on people, not just dashboards and KPIs. Historically, the airfreight industry depended on rigid legacy systems with green screens and menu-driven commands that required precision but lacked user intuition.
Artificial intelligence is changing this by replacing static interfaces with dynamic, conversation-driven processes. These AI systems operate more like collaborating with a colleague than completing endless forms, marking both a technological and cultural shift. This transformation affects how airlines and cargo operators manage systems, forecast demand, price capacity, and blend automation with human expertise.
From Complex Interfaces to Conversational AI
“We already see a move from click-heavy, menu-driven screens to agentic AI — digital assistants that understand natural language and execute workflows end to end,” says Radhesh Menon, Head of Cargo and Logistics.
Operators will soon interact with systems through natural language commands instead of multiple forms. For example, they might say, “Book three tonnes of electronics from Singapore to Frankfurt for Friday night and hold a waitlist on earlier legs.” The AI would handle all necessary steps, validate the data, and provide a confirmed plan.
The Evolution of User Interfaces in Air Cargo
Menon describes this as the next stage in user interface development. It advances from green screens to graphical interfaces and now to conversational, task-oriented agents, completing a cycle but with vastly improved usability.
“It’s the next turn in the UI journey — from green screens to graphical interfaces, and now to conversational, task-oriented agents. In many ways, it’s coming full circle — only far more usable.”
Author’s summary: The air cargo industry is undergoing a cultural and technological revolution by shifting from complex legacy systems to intuitive AI-driven conversational interfaces, enhancing both efficiency and user experience.